Visual and Performing Artists and Events in the news February 22-28, 2023

This is who and what’s creating news in Southwest Florida’s visual and performing arts community this week:

1     ACTORS

Emilie Baartman in the role of Kia in ‘The Last Schwartz’ at New Phoenix

Emilie Baartman is a Naples, Florida actor, singer, dancer and costume and set designer. She appears in the role of Kia for New Phoenix Theatre in Deborah Laufer’s The Last Schwartz. Emilie’s stage credits include work in the ensemble of Head Over Heels for New Phoenix Theatre, flight attendant Gloria in Boeing Boeing for The Naples Players, Macbeth: The Murder Mystery for the CFABS Players and Pam Lukowski in The Full Monty (New Phoenix Theatre, 2020). The rest of Emilie’s theatrical credits are here.

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Emilie Baartman plays Kia with dizzying mix of ditz and empathic savant

Emilie Baartman plays the part of Kia in New Phoenix Theatre’s production of Deborah Laufer’s dark comedy The Last Schwartz. In her capable hands, the character is a dizzying mix of ditz and empathic savant cloaked in a dichotomy of innocence and raw sexual magnetism that would make Norma Jean Mortensen sit up and take notice.

The rest of this story is here.

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Joey Bostic in ‘Sweeney Todd’ ensemble at Lab Theater

Joey Bostic is a Fort Myers based actor and aspiring director. He currently appears in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Laboratory Theater of Florida. Bostic’s previous credits include the role of Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show at both Fort Myers Theater and New Phoenix Theatre, Benny in Rent at Fort Myers Theatre, virgin-turned-vampire Madeleine Astarte in Charles Busch’s Vampire Lesbians of Sodom for the Alliance for the Arts and the butler Jacob in La Cage Aux Folles. Go here to see the rest of Bostic’s theatrical credits.

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Nalalie Brouwer in ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’

Natalie Bouwer performs professionally as an actor and singer up and down the East Coast, but hopes to make Florida her home base.  She appears currently for Players Circle Theatre in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. Brouwer’s Southwest Florida stage credits include Miracle on 34th Street (Beach Street Repertory Theatre), Linda in Night and Day, Jingle Bell Jubilee, Lady in the Street in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Laughter on the 23rd Floor and Ho! Ho! Ho! The Christmas Show for Players Circle Theatre. Go here for the rest of Natalie’s theatrical credits.

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Scott Carpenter is Simon in ‘The Last Schwartz’ at New Phoenix Theatre

Scott Carpenter is an actor and director who lives in Cape Coral, Florida. He currently appears in the role of Simon in New Phoenix Theatre’s production of Deborah Laufer’s The Last Schwartz. Scott was last on stage in New Phoenix Theatre’s production of The Full Monty. Scott has directed numerous productions, including Jekyll & Hyde the Musical and Head over Heels for New Phoenix Theatre, the Florida premiere of the spoof Death of a Streetcar Named Virginia Woolf: A Parody,  Rumors for Lab Theater and Same Time, Next Year, Jekyll & Hyde the Musical, South Pacific, Mame, and Steel Magnolias. You can view all of Scott’s theatrical credits here.

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Shane Dinan is Man #1 for Players Circle in ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’

Shane Dinan plays multiple parts as Man #1 in Players Circle Theatre’s production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. Shane is a musician, actor and occupational therapist from Asheville, North Carolina. Shane previously appeared at Players Circle in Laughter on the 23rd Floor and prior to that in the role of George Bailey in Miracle in Bedford Falls.

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Jason Drew returns to the stage as Gene in ‘The Last Schwartz’ at New Phoenix

Actor Jason Drew returns to the stage after a bit of an absence in the role of Gene Schwartz in The Last Schwartz at New Phoenix Theatre. Jason last performed in a theatrical production as Cal Porter in Lab Theater’s 2016 production of Terrence McNally’s Mothers and Sons.

Go here for all of Jason’s credits.

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Jason Drew appreciates subtlety of Laufer’s characters and storyline

Jason Drew hasn’t been on stage in a play in seven long years. You’d never know it. He picks up in The Last Schwartz right where he left off with Lab Theater’s 2016 production of Terrance McNally’s Mothers and Sons. In spite of the gap, he didn’t hesitate to answer the call when New Phoenix Artistic Director Brenda Kensler asked him to come in to read through a play written by Deborah Laufer that hadn’t been produced yet in Southwest Florida. You can read the balance of this story here.

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Susan Greenhill plays Ethel Thayer for Florida Rep in ‘On Golden Pond’

Susan Greenhill plays the part of Ethel Thayer for Florida Rep in On Golden Pond. She returns after first appearing in Becoming Dr. Ruth. In New York, Susan was in Crimes of the Heart on Broadway and many new plays at Playwrights Horizons, Primary Stages, Actors Studio Theatre, and Urban Stages among others. Regionally, she has played leading roles at numerous theatres from The Long Wharf to The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis in such plays as The Glass Menagerie, Noises off, The Clean House (Acclaim Award), Dinner with Friends (SRQ Award), Sideman (Barrymore Award), Private Lives, 4000 Miles, and Shirley Valentine. On TV and film, she has been seen on The Good Wife, Law & Order, The Chappelle Show, Clarissa Explains It All, Guiding Light, Italian Movie, Pecker (Jon Waters, director), Bargain by Hail Street, and New World Order (Sundance Festival). During the pandemic she spent a lot of time doing readings and performances of new plays online. For more, please visit www.susangreenhill.com

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Cindi Heimberg plays Bonnie in ‘The Last Schwartz’ at New Phoenix

Cindi Heimberg is a local actor with numerous performances to her credit. She plays Bonnie Schwartz in New Phoenix Theatre’s production of Deborah Laufer’s The Last Schwartz. Heimberg’s credits include the roles of Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, Ruby in Nancy Stetson’s Rest Stops of America and Artistic Director Zorah Bloch in New Phoenix Theatre’s production of Daniel Sullivan’s Inspecting Carol. Go here for the rest of Cindi’s theatrical credits.

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Steven Michael Kennedy is Adolfo Perilli in ‘Sweeney Todd’

Steven Michael Kennedy is a Cape Coral actor and director. He currently plays the part of Adolfo Pirelli for Lab Theater in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Steven’s acting credits include Melanie Daniels in Lab Theater’s parody of The Birds, Princeton in Avenue Q,  Leonardo da Vinci in Botticelli in the Fire  and Grumpy Old Men for Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. You will find the rest of Steven Michael’s credits here.

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Mark King in ‘Sweeney Todd’ ensemble

Mark King continues to expand his thespian resume. He appears in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for the Laboratory Theater of Florida through March 11, 2023. Go here to find out what else Mark has been in.

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Martin LaPlatney is Norman Thayer in ‘On Golden Pond’

Martin LaPlatney plays Norman Thayer for Florida Rep in On Golden Pond. Martin’s Florida Rep credits include Morning After Grace and One Slight Hitch. His Broadway credits include Amadeus, The Crucifer of Blood, Hedda Gabbler, Major Barbara, The Road To Mecca. Off-Broadway, he performed in Tartuffe, The Passion of Dracula, The Waverly Gallery, Give Me Your Answer Do (Roundabout Theater), The Paris Letter, Pretty Hunger (The Public Theater). Regionally, he had leading roles, ranging from Jack Tanner in Man and Superman to Macbeth, at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Hartford Stage Company, Indiana Repertory Theater, The Ahmanson Theatre, Olney Theater Center, GeVa Theater, Delaware Theatre Company, Baltimore Center Stage, The Empty Space, ACT, (Seattle), Pennsylvania Center Stage, Florida Studio Theater, and many others. You may have also seen LaPlatney on television in Law and Order, Cosby Mysteries, Alien Nation, Royal Pains, The Good Wife, Boardwalk Empire, Elementary, Blue Bloods, and a bunch of commercials. Martin has been happily married to Susan Greenhill for many years.

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Gabrielle Lansden is Johanna in ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Lab Theater

Gabrielle Lansden is a multitalented creative. In addition to being a gifted actor, she is a self-employed voice actor, Scenic Designer for Laboratory Theater of Florida and promotional model and brand ambassador at Rockstar Harley-Davidson. She currently appears for Lab Theater in the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Lansden’s acting credits include the part of Lucy in Avenue Q and Janet Weiss in New Phoenix Theatre’s production of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show. Go here for more on Gabrielle’s theatrical credits.

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John McKerrow is Jonas Fogg and ensemble member in ‘Sweeney Todd’

John McKerrow is a Naples-based stage, film and television actor, director and acting coach. He appears in the role of Jonas Fogg and the ensemble of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for Lab Theater. Included in John’s local stage credits are Ed/Father for Players Circle Theatre in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Prospero in The Tempest (Lab Theater), Bill in Mamma Mia!, Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth in Macbeth and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. Go here to see John’s full profile.

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MaryAnne McKerrow makes Lab Theater debut as Mrs. Lovett in ‘Sweeney’

MaryAnne McKerrow makes her Lab Theater debut in the role of Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Naples audiences last saw MaryAnne on stage at The Naples Players as Donna in Mamma Mia! Other musical theater performing credits include Momma Rose in Gypsy, Madame Thernardier in Les Miserables, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, the title role in Mame and Agnes in I Do! I Do! You can read more about MaryAnne here.

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Trace Meier plays corrupt Judge Turpin in ‘Sweeney Todd’ for Lab Theater

Trace Meier portrays corrupt Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It is Judge Turpin who foments Sweeney’s murder spree by sentencing him to a penal colony in Australia on false charges so that he’ll have unimpeded access to Sweeney’s beautiful young wife, Lucy, who commits suicide by poison after being raped and tormented by the judge. Back in London fifteen years later, Sweeney swears to avenge his wife and daughter. Trace’s stage credits include Sir Danvers Carew for New Phoenix Theatre in Jekyll & Hyde the Musical, multiple roles in Quartet and Young Frankenstein, and Dr. Scott in Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show. 

You will find the rest of Trace’s theatrical credits here.

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Lauren Miller is Beggar Woman in ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Lab Theater

Lauren Miller plays the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for Lab Theater. Among Lauren’s prior stage credits are Joanne Jefferson for Fort Myers Theatre in the rock opera Rent, Ann Putnam in Lab Theater’s production of The Crucible, Mazeppa in Gypsy, Sister Mary Hubert in Nunsense, Henrietta in All Shook Up and Kit Kat Girl Texas in Brenda Kensler’s blockbuster production of Cabaret in 2015.

Go here to view the rest of Lauren’s theatrical credits.

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Michael Murphy is Herb Schwartz in ‘The Last Schwartz’ at New Phoenix

Michael Murphy appears in the role of Herb Schwartz for New Phoenix Theatre in its production of Deborah Laufer’s production of The Last Schwartz. This is Michael’s second show at New Phoenix, where he previously appeared as the hermit and in the ensemble in Young Frankenstein the Musical. Go here for the rest of Michael’s credits.

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River Reed is young Tobias in ‘Sweeney Todd’

River Reed plays the part of Tobias for Lab Theater in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He was last seen in the role of Les in Newsies and on the Lab Theater stage in Mothers and Sons. River has been acting since the age of six, appearing in productions at numerous Southwest Florida venues, including the Alliance for the Arts, Broadway Palm Dinner Theater, Cultural Park Theater, Florida Repertory Theatre, Fort Myers Theatre, Lab Theater and Melody Lane Performing Arts Center. Go here for more.

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Donna Richman is the inflexible eldest in ‘The Last Schwartz’

After acting for many years in New York, Donna Richman makes her Florida debut at New Phoenix Theatre in the role of Norma in Deborah Laufer’s The Last Schwartz. Norma is the eldest of four, domineering, self-righteous and uncompromising. Divorced and estranged from her only child after turning him in to the police after finding his stash in his room, she nonetheless opines that respecting one’s history, from the old faith to the old furniture, is “what separates us from the animals.” Go here for Donna’s credits.

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Dave Rode plays bucket list role of Sweeney Todd at Lab Theater

Dave Rode plays a bucket list part when he assumes the title role of Sweeney Todd for Lab Theater. “For me this is the culmination of a long journey that started when I first heard Michael Cerveris perform the title part,” divulges Dave, who “finds ways” to connect with his character, a serial killer who helps dice up his victims so that his partner, Mrs. Lovett, can include them as the key ingredient in the meat pies she sells to the good people of London. You will find the rest of Dave’s stage credits here.

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Cameron Rogers is the sailor, Anthony, in ‘Sweeney Todd’

Local actor Cameron Rogers is amassing an impressive resume. He currently plays the part of Anthony for Lab Theater in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Cameron’s stage credits to date include the CFABS Youth Theatre’s production of Thorton Wilder’s Our Town, Chevalier Raphael Danceny in Laboratory Theater’s production of Dangerous Liaisons, Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods at Florida Rep, the groom in The Wedding Story, and Brad in Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show for New Phoenix Theatre. Go here for all of Cameron’s theatrical credits.

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Amanda Ross is Woman #2 in ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’

Amanda Ross is a New York City-based actor, director and intimacy specialist, and member of New Circle Theatre Company. She is Woman #2 in Players Circle Theatre’s production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. Amanda recently starred in the one-woman show The Azure Sky in Oz by Bill Leavengood at the United Solo Festival in New York City after a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Go here to view the rest of Amanda’s theatrical credits.

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Jack Weld plays Beadle Bamford with ruthless detachment in ‘Sweeney Todd’

Jack Weld plays the part of Beadle Bamford in Lab Theater’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. As corrupt Judge Turpin’s greasy lackey, it is Beadle who orders the police to arrest Benjamin Barker on false charges so that with him out of the way, the judge can drug and rape his pretty young wife. Weld portrays the Beadle with a ruthless detachment reminiscent of Travolta’s Vincent Vega, possibly a reflection of his Shakespearean heritage. The rest of Jack’s theatrical credits are here.

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Ted Wioncek III plays multiple roles in ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’

Ted Wioncek III is an award-winning artist, actor and performer. The Philly Review has labeled him “a master in storytelling” in recognition of his vibrant work, and his efforts as an arts business builder coupled with the use of immersive mediums to advance technology in aid of experiential storytelling has attracted features in a number of other publications. Ted currently appears in various roles for Players Circle Theatre in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. The rest of Ted’s credits are here.

Spotlight on River Basin muralist Rod Acosta

Local artist Rodney Acosta has painted two panels for the Fort Myers River Basin Mural Project. The first is the actual fort’s guardhouse and a survey map that was drawn to scale by a major who came in 1856 to find out why so much money was being spent to build the fort. The second is a rendering of Fort Myers’ colorful sheriff, Frank Tippins, in a boat on the Caloosahatchee River with three other men.

The rest of Rodney’s bio is here.

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Spotlight on River Basin muralist Lorrie Bennett

Lorrie Bennett is one of 39 artists who have painted murals for the River Basin Mural Project being conducted by the City’s Public Art Committee, Community Redevelopment Agency and Fort Myers Mural Society. Lorrie has painted two River Basin murals – one of Seminole Chief and feared warrior Billy Bowlegs and the other of Uncle Marion Hendry’s Grocery Store at the northeast corner of Hendry and Front Streets. Lorrie describes herself as a self-taught intuitive, contemporary, and expressive mixed media artist and illustrator who, from an early age, had an affinity for drawing and painting. For Lorrie, creating has always been a journey of experimentation and exploration. The rest of Lorrie’s credits can be read here.

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Spotlight on River Basin muralist Michelle J. McDonald

As you walk around the basin next to Luminary Hotel, you’ll come across a mural depicting the arrival of colorfully attired guests on the pier at Thomas Edison’s home downriver on McGregor Boulevard. It was rendered by Michelle J. McDonald, who currently works primarily in acrylics and pastels. She is also known for her “Beautiful Bookmarks,” which are comprised of scraps of paper that create a collage. Michelle’s story is like that of many other later-in-life Florida artists. Go here to find out how.

Spotlight on River Basin muralist Dawn Webb

Dawn Webb is one of 39 artists who have painted murals for the River Basin Mural Project being conducted by the City’s Public Art Committee, Community Redevelopment Agency and Fort Myers Mural Society. Dawn painted a mural of Fort Myers first African-American settlor, Nellis Tillis, who, with his wife, Ellen, were also the town’s first interracial couple.

Dawn is a proud born-and-raised Southwest Florida native. Born in Fort Myers, she has watched the city develop and grow since the 1970s. On the fine arts side, Dawn works in the medium of acrylic painting. But she is also a gifted tattoo artist. Go here for the rest of Dawn’s bio.

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Spotlight on River Basin muralist Wendy White

Based on a vintage 1930s-era postcard, this mural depicts the many activities that visitors can enjoy during a fun-filled trip to Fort Myers. Titled Florida Fun, it was rendered Wendy White who is an accomplished artist, curator, director, playwright, screenwriter and teacher. Born in Rockaway Beach, New York, Wendy’s palette and writings are strongly influenced by her early environment of living by the sea. Her father was a painter and while she was growing up, she and her twin brother would frequently model for him as muses. Go here to view Wendy’s impressiver resume.